Pouch Support For A Pressurized Dispensing Container

Abstract

For use in a pressurized container that dispenses product, a pouch support has an upper edge that rests on the upper opening of the container and a sidewall that extends downwardly to a tail piece providing a port. At this port, the pouch is sealed to the tail piece. A dip tube integral with the pouch support extends down from the tail piece. This arrangement permits filling the pouch in place in the container where the pouch is supported by the pouch support because the pouch opening is held open by the tail piece of the pouch support. Product that is ultimately dispensed , is filled through the port of the tail piece and through the dip tube. After the filling operation is completed, the valve is attached in place by crimping the valve cup to the upper opening of the container sidewall. The dip tube has a plurality of sidewall openings that permit dispensing product when the pouch is pinched off at the dip tube.

1 . In a pressurized dispensing container having a pouch for containing product to be dispensed and a valve at the upper opening of the pouch for controlling the rate at which product is dispensed, the valve including a mounting cup crimped onto the upper edge of the container, a product filling mechanism comprising:
 a pouch support for holding the pouch in position while the pouch is being filled without the valve in place, said pouch support having a tail piece with a port at its lower end,   said tail piece adapted to be sealed to the opening of the pouch to hold the pouch open during filling of product,   said pouch support having an upper end adapted to be fitted onto the upper edge of the container.   said pouch support having a wall extending between said tail piece and said upper end of said pouch support.   
     
     
         2 . The pouch support of  claim 1  further comprising: a dip tube attached to and in communication with said port of said tail piece. 
     
     
         3 . The pouch support of  claim 2  further comprising: at least one opening in the side wall of said dip tube below the zone where the pouch is sealed to said tail piece to provide product discharge there through when the pouch is pinched off. 
     
     
         4 . The improvement of  claim 2  further comprising: at least one opening in the sidewall of said dip tube below the zone where the pouch is sealed to said tail piece to provide product discharge there through when the pouch is pinched off. 
     
     
         5 . The pouch support of  claim 1  further comprising: at least one tail piece opening extending vertically through said tail piece to provide product discharge there through when the pouch is pinched off. 
     
     
         6 . The pouch support of  claim 2  further comprising: at least one tail piece opening extending vertically through said tail piece to provide product discharge there through when the pouch is pinched off. 
     
     
         7 . The method of filling a pouch for use in a pressurized dispensing container comprising the steps of:
 supporting the pouch near the top of the container with a pouch support element that rests on the top opening of the container and which has a lower tail piece that engages and holds open the opening of the pouch to support the pouch in position within the container,   then filling the pouch with product which will eventually be dispensed,   after filling has stopped, mounting a dispensing valve with a valve cup in said pouch support element, said valve being nested in said pouch support element, and   then crimping the upper edge of the valve cup around the upper edge of the container thereby sealing the valve and pouch support to the container.   
     
     
         8 . A dip tube improvement for a pouch containing product in a pressurized dispensing container in which product is dispensed through a valve that controls the dispensing of product, the improvement comprising:
 a dip tube having a plurality of longitudinally and circumferentially disposed openings to provide alternate communication between the product being dispensed and the dip tube passageway.   
     
     
         9 . The dip tube of  claim 8  wherein said dip tube has two longitudinal rows of openings with six openings in each row. 
     
     
         10 . The dip tube of  claim 8  wherein each of said openings is substantially 40 mils in diameter. 
     
     
         11 . The dip tube of  claim 9  wherein each of said openings is substantially 40 mils in diameter.